Founded in 2008, The Instituto Cidade Jardim is dedicated to the research, development, and installation of green roofs. Under the leadership of agricultural engineer Sérgio Rocha and ecologist Fabiana Scarda, the company aims to expand green spaces in urban areas.
With over two decades of experience, Sérgio is a passionate advocate for regenerative solutions to restore urban ecosystems. His contributions include developing Kaatop, the first hybrid green roof tile, and spearheading Brazil’s first online training program on green roofs—both reflecting his deep commitment to advancing green infrastructure.
Seeds of Inspiration: The Instituto Cidade Jardim’s Genesis
After working as ethnobotany researchers in the Amazon rainforest and living in traditional communities, Sérgio and Fabiana experienced a simple and healthy life up close. This led them to realize that cities around the world are the primary source of the environmental, food, and energy challenges people experience today. A significant part of this issue stems from how cities are built. Their inspiration comes from this desire for transformation—to integrate the countless environmental services that natural ecosystems provide into urban areas on a large scale. Their goal is to make cities healthier, happier, and far more efficient.
Balancing Innovation, Leadership, and Business Strategy
Sérgio believes that everything unfolds concurrently, and achieving balance depends on the terrain at the same time and the balance comes from the terrain he and his team navigate. Urban challenges are immense, yet with 70% of urban surfaces covered by roofs—and fewer than 10% capable of supporting existing green roof technologies—he sees vast opportunities for innovation in this space.
Driven by this vision, Sérgio has pioneered new solutions. In 2012, he secured the first patents for Kaatop, the world’s first hydroponic plantable-hydroponic sandwich panel.
Navigating Challenges in Scaling Sustainable Solutions
The biggest challenge Sérgio has faced in scaling up sustainable urban solutions such as green roofs and vertical gardens is expanding the market size. While there is growing public interest in these solutions, their practical application is still completely niched within the high-end construction markets. Sérgio and his team strive to meet the highest quality standards required by this sector, which helps them build a reputation and gather the resources needed to innovate and thrive in the emerging middle-class green roof market segment.
Creating an Impact in the Global Urban Sustainability Initiatives
As a board member of the World Green Infrastructure Network during the 2021-2023 season, Sérgio had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with leading business and academic leaders in the urban regenerative solutions movement. Together, they made significant progress in influencing major advancements in European New Deal policies, particularly in programs focused on urban biodiversity and energy security. In addition to its efforts in the North American market, they are also growing their influence now in Asia. Sérgio also took the initiative to introduce these concepts into the Brazilian market and establish connections with members from Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and various others in Latin America.
Collaborating with Policymakers and Urban Planners
Under Sérgio’s leadership, Instituto Cidade Jardim associates with policymakers to implement green infrastructure projects. It provides qualified information aligned with the main guidelines recommended by the World Green Infrastructure Network. This information supports decision-makers across various specialties, including architects, landscapers, engineers, businessmen, investors, and politicians.
Additionally, the Instituto Cidade Jardim offers special materials for green roof systems for waterproofed coverings (drainage, substrates, plants, irrigation) and now with Kaatop (its exclusive plantable-hydroponic sandwich panel), also for roofs with tiles. It provides installation and maintenance services as well to ensure the success of these green infrastructure initiatives.
Effective Strategies for Market Adoption
Over the past 15 years, Instituto Cidade Jardim has built a reputation for delivering innovative, high-quality products, thus solidifying its position as a leader in Brazil’s high-end green roof market. The company’s strategy has always centered on meeting client and user needs—whether through selecting the ideal materials and plants, ensuring top-tier service, or enhancing operational efficiency.
The Impact of Projects: Environmental and Social Benefits
The local impacts of green roofs are remarkable—they significantly reduce temperature and energy consumption while also creating opportunities for vegetable gardens, outdoor leisure spaces, and enhancing the aesthetic and ecological experience for those who adopt them.
“At a regional level, the impacts are still far from being perceived. Until we have large horizons with green roofs in our cities, we will not be able to say that we have changed the urban climate,” informed Sérgio.
Integrating Green Infrastructure into Urban Development: Major Challenges
Sérgio believes that one of the primary challenges is developing systems and materials that can adapt to common roofing styles, such as tiled roofs—a market valued at $90 billion annually. These roofs are typically sloped, making it difficult to apply waterproofing membranes and traditional green roof planting systems, which were originally designed for flat surfaces. As a result, converting tiled roofs into green roofs has often been impractical.
Impact of Data and AI on Urban Sustainability Solutions
AI and big data are starting to significantly influence the development of new technologies that will revolutionize urban agriculture and high-altitude gardening. These advancements range from intelligent systems that control irrigation and nutrition to robots that perform automated garden maintenance. “Whether it is on your grandmother’s rooftop or the large roofs of housing complexes, condominiums, malls, and shopping centers, sky gardening promises to be the new agricultural frontier,” says Sérgio.
Long-term Vision: Shaping the Future of Urban Sustainability
Sérgio’s long-term vision embraces a green horizon for cities around the world. He envisions urban rooftops mostly covered in green spaces that promote leisure, culture, fresh food, and socializing, full of biodiversity while also being efficient in the use of water and energy.
The Future Roadmap for Growth
Looking ahead, Sérgio focuses on the Instituto Cidade Jardim’s most significant contribution to the market—the plantable-hydroponic sandwich panel. This includes the launch of operations at the subsidiary in Barcelona, Spain, as well as the start of industrial manufacturing of the Kaatop panels in Brazil. The team is currently in the go-to-market phase, actively engaging with the European (notably Germany, France, and the UK) and USA markets. Additionally, they are seeking investments to develop new phases of research and development with AI, robotics, and automation.
